Unloading device for boxes and the like



Dec. 29, 1931. E. W. ANDREWS ET AL UNLOADING DEX/ ICE FOR BOXES AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 7, 1929 Patented Dec. 29, 1931 UNITED STATE'sx1Pa'rrala'r CF1-fier.

` EDWARD W. ANnREWsAND FRED E. ANDERSON, or CHICAGO, ILLInors', assIGNoRs or oNn-rnrRD To W. C. PARKER, or Cmcaco, Innrnois UNLOADING DEVICE FR BOXES' AND IKE Application mea January 7, 1929. serial N. 330,71@VV l Y This invention relates to improvements in unloading devices .and more particularly to a device 4for facilitating the collection of coins, mail and other articles. y

The general object of the invention is to provide an unloading device of the above character which is inexpensive and rugged in construction, which is easy and quick to opcrate, which is adapted to avoid loss or dis- 3 l figuration of the articles to be unloaded, and

which completely protects the articles from the elements during the unloading process.

Another object is to provide an improved unloading device which will enable mail f boxes to be `emptied and the contents thereof transferred to a collecting receptacle more expeditiously than has ,heretofore been possible.

A further object is to provide an unloading device having a frame carrying a sack to receive the contents of the box to be emptied and having a key movably mounted theron and arranged to be brought into operative association with a lock on the .boxin the act of placingthe frame in unloading position. Still another object is to provide a device for emptying mail boxes and the like having a novel means for effecting automatic closure of the box after the same has been opened and the contents thereof removed. V i

The invention also aims to provide an improved frame structure for supporting a collecting sack on a box to be unloaded, said i sack being supported so as to afford access to the box closure member, thereby permitting the removal of articles which may interfere with'closing of the box.

Other objects and advantages of the inven# i? tion will vbecome apparentfrom thefollowing A the box.

Figis a fragmentary plan view the. operating handle of thev box.

Fig. l is a sectional view taken along the line ell-el of Fig. 2 with the closure member of the box in closed position.

While the invention `is susceptible of var rious modifications and `alternative construe! tions, we have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in-detail `the preferred kembodiment, but it is4 to beunderstood that `we do `not thereby' intend to limit the invention to the specific formr disclosed, but intend to cover` all modifications and alternative constructions falling within thefspiri't and scope ofthe invention as expressed in the appended claims. v. Y f .f

In the exemplary `form shown in the drawings the invention yis adapted for use in `emptying a mail box havingfront, side. and

rear Walls 6, 7'` and'Sand a closure member r or door 9 constituting the bottom. wall and arranged to sustain the `weight vof the articles inserted through the opening 10. lPreferably the door is in the formof a single rectangular plate hinged at llto the lower edgeof the rearwallS. y A' i At the center of its opposite edge the door carries an upstanding hook projectionk 12 Which, when the` door `is swung lupwardly into horizontal position,l enters a spring latch mechanism 13' 'and becomes locked therein automatically. .This mechanism may be of any preferred construction and is secured to the front Wall 6 of the box on the rear side thereof. There isfa'hole 14 in the wall 6 through which a suitable key maybe inserted to operate the latch mechanism and free the vhook l2to allow the door to swing downwardly into open position.V V

` The unloading devicercomprisesr a frame member l5 carrying a sack 16 and adapted to be vsupported 'by the box during the unloadf ing operation; Inthe present instance the frame member is of rectangular shape and is formed from a metal bar having its ends bent to form parallel arms 17 Vspaced apart a distance slightly greater than thewidth of the box so that the box will be received between the arms l17 when the frame is slid horizontally'thereon. Horizontal flanges 18A,V secured to the side walls 7 at the lowermost edges thereof, serve to support the frame when thus placed on the box.

About midway beween its ends the frame carries a block 19 in which is pivotally journaled the shank 20 of a handle 21 by which the unloading device may be carried. Herein the handle is in the form of a U-shaped metal strip between the ends of which is secured a member 21a which is flattened to insure a firm grip to assist the operator in holding the frame in horizontal position preparatory to sliding it onto the box. Rigidly secured to and projecting inwardly from the shank is a key 22 for operating the latching mechanism. The flanges 18 are positioned at such height that the key 22 will, if the handle 21 is in proper angular position, enter the keyhole 14 as the frame is slid along the anges.

The shank 2O is adapted for a limited axial movement into either of two positions. hen the handle is drawn away from the box a transverse pin 23 enters a slot 24E in the block 19 (Fig. 3) thereby preventing the handle from turning relative to the frame. lVith the handle thus locked against rotation the frame can be readily handled during withdrawal of the frame from the box and during emptying of the sack. Then the handle is pushed toward the box the pin 23 is withdrawn from the block 19, thereby permitting the handle to be turned to operate the latch mechanism. Thus the handle constitutes a co-mmon means for actuating the lock and for carrying the frame and the sack.

The sack 1G conforms generally to the shape of the frame but is somewhat larger so that it will completely enclose the lower end of the box when the frame is in unloading position, at the same time affording access to the sides of the box. To thus` support the sack its end portions 25 are provided at spaced points with rings 26 threaded onto a removable rod 27 One end of this rod is hooked into the frame at 28 adjacent one of the arms 17 while the other end has an eye 29 which is clamped to the end of the arm by a thumb nut SO threading onto a bolt 31. Thus the intermediate straight portion of the rod 27 is securely mounted in spaced relation with respect to the arms 17 The rear wall of the sack is attached as at 32 to a bar 33 disposed below the arms 17 so that this edge of the sack will pass under the box as the frame is slid into unloading position. Herein the bar 33 rigidly connects the ends of the arms 17 and for this purpose has upstanding ends with Vertical slots 34 therein which receive the bolts 31 and are clamped in adjusted vertical position by the nuts 30.

The front portion of the sack is not attached to the frame, thereby enabling the side portions 25 to slide along the rods 27 and thereby collapse the sack as a whole when the frame is being carried in vertical position as would naturally be the case when the handle 21 is grasped. As shown in Fig. 2, the rods 27 are preferably inclined relative to the arms 17 so as to slope downward toward the rear of the box when the frame is supported in horizontal position thereon. The supporting rings thus tend to slide down along the rods and thus collapse the sack automatically 'as the frame is slid o from the box.

In addition to serving as a support for the sack the bar 33 operates to close the door 9 of the box automatically as the frame is withdrawn therefrom. In performing this function the bar engages the underside of the door and swings it upwardly into locked position, the locking taking place automatically as the hook 12 enters the latch structure 13.

In emptying a mailbox with the unloading device above described the sack is first opened by drawing the loose edge thereof toward the handle. Then while the frame is held in substantially horizontal position the operator slides it onto the lower end of the box, the side langes 18 serving to support the frame and the empty sack. In this movement the bar 83 and the edge of the sack attached thereto pass beneath the box. In the filial movement of the frame into unloading position, as shown in Fig. 2, the key 22 is guided by the operator into the keyhole 111 and the handle 21 is shifted inwardly. This permits the key to be turned by the handle which unlocks the hook 12 allowing the door to swing downwardly into the sack as shown in Fig. 2. rIhe contents of the box are thus allowed to fall into the empty sack.

' To remove the frame and the filled sack, it is merely necessary to withdraw the same from the box by pulling backwardly on the handle 21 which becomes locked against turning by the engagement of the pin 23 with the block 19. In this movement the bar 38 engages the door 9 below its pivotal axis and swings the same upwardly into horizontal position, whereupon the hook becomes locked in the latch mechanism 13. During the closing operation the door 9 provides a forwardly and downwardly inclined flat surface from which the mail articles will slide readily into the sack. Blocking of the door opening by these articles is therefore efl'ectually minimized. After complete removal of the frame from the box the sack can be carried about conveniently by suspending the frame in vertical position from the handle 21. This allows the unsecured edge of the sack to slide along the rods 27, thereby closing the sack.

To empty the sack, the operator grasps the bottom of the same with one hand `and the handle 21 with the other, the handle being at this time locked against rotation. Then the sack is inverted which allows the contents to fall into the collecting receptacle.

It will be observed that while the frame is supported in unloading position on the box the bottom opening of the box is completely enclosed. This prevents the mail articles from falling outside of the sack and protects all of the articles against rain or snow. Any articles which, by reason of the fullness of the sack, tend to interfere with closing of the door may be readily removed from the front 1L. of the box or even from the side thereof owing to the clearances provided between the edges of the sack and the edges of the box.

It will be observed that with the device We have provided mail boxes may be emptied if, `expeditiously and the Varticles removed will be protected against disfigurement Vand against the elements during the unloading process. By employing separate elements on the frame for supporting the sack the latter 2o may be conveniently replaced when it becomes worn. The construction is also greatly simplified by the use of a single hinged door on the box constituting the bottom thereof.

This permits the bar 33 to be utilized as a 25 means for automatically closing the door upon the withdrawal of the frame.

We claim as our invention: l. An unloading device for a mail box or the like having a bottom closure member and 30 external side flanges at'the lower edges thereof, said device comprising, in combination, a single Ushaped strip of metal adapted to be slidV horizontally onto the lower portion of said box so as to rest upon the upwardly facing surfaces of said Ranges, a sack having its opposite side edges supported from said frame, and means on said frame for supporting the back edge of said saclr in such position relative to said frame that it will pass beneath the bottom of the box when said p frame is slid thereon, said last mentioned. means comprising across bar connecting the open ends of said U-shaped strip and disposed below the lowermost point on said box when said frame is supported on the latter.

2. An unloading device for a box having. a closure member and a key controlled latch mechanism vfor locking said member in closed position, said devicecomprising, in-combination, a frame adapted to be fitted onto said box and to be supported thereby during unloading, a sack carried by said frame for receiving the articles from said box, a handle rotatably mounted in said frame and arranged for axial movement into a position in Whichit is loclred against rotation, and a key carried by said handle and operable by turning thereof to releasesaid latch mecha nism. y In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures. f

EDWARD W. ANDREWS. FRED E.' ANDERSON. 

